X-Factor #243Review

Peter David sure does like having a lot of balls in the air at one time. That’s usually a terrific thing, especially considering his skill. Sometimes, though, his transitions from one story to the next aren’t as fluid as they could be. This is the case once again in X-Factor #243, as we shift from a Rahne-centric episode to a completely unrelated exploration of circumstances surrounding the deaths of Polaris’ parents.

The means by which this exploration comes about are pretty contrived, and it hurts the impact of the story. In fact, the whole issue seems rather contrived. It’s clear that David is working up to his next major set piece, but the pieces that usually mesh so easily in his stories seem crammed together here. The payoff isn’t even terribly unique.

Furthermore, the greater part of the issue takes place indoors and in close quarters. Penciler Leonard Kirk is certainly up to the task of drawing the scenes; however, he doesn’t have much of an opportunity in this book to display his ability to draw strong action sequences. The color palette is also rather bland for much of the issue.

There are bound to be missteps in any great series, and this is, unfortunately, a misstep for X-Factor. The issue is clearly a transition towards greater things to come, but everything feels so forced and inconsequential right now. We get some explanation as to why Polaris has always acted a little different than everyone else, and David includes a healthy dose of his slick dialog. However, the shortcomings outweigh the achievements in this book.